(Forced) Confession
by Arisu Ral
Summary: Hotaru makes a plan to make Mikan and Natsume confess to each other ! But, would it turn out as planned ?
1. Realization

**Chapter 1**

**Realization**

It was a cold winter morning when Mikan visited Hotaru's laboratory to— as always — interrupt Hotaru -er, I mean, discuss something important, to Mikan, at least. Mikan had always known that Hotaru would probably in her lab when she's not in her dormitory room, and so, she barged inside Hotaru's working room with a blushing expression and rushed to Hotaru's side with her arms reached outward, as if she wanted to hug her.

"HOTARUUUU !" She shouted at the top of her lungs. Of course, even Hotaru—who was superbly engrossed with her project, with headphones on and volume up— would be able to hear it. She turned to look at Mikan with her same cold expression as always.

"You know what, you know what ! Listen to m-"

**BAKAN ! BAKAN ! BAKAN !**

Just before she was able to talk to Hotaru, Hotaru immediately took out the Moron Gun and silenced her with it. Mikan fell to the ground with a thud, but she was still able to rise and sit on the ground. And, the daily routine would be that Mikan will shout and blabber at how could Hotaru do that stuff to her, and etc. etc.

Hotaru, however, wasn't listening to Mikan's whining. She examined Mikan's face thoroughly. _"She seemed a bit…..confused ? No, that's not quite it…."_ Hotaru mused to herself. _"She was blushing just a while ago before I hit her with the gun. Blushing and a confused expression….?"_

"Ah." A lightbulb just appeared at Hotaru's thoughts.

"AND I EVEN THOUGHT THA- hey, Hotaru, are you listening to me ?! Geez ! How could you-

"You're troubled again, aren't you ? _About Natsume_." Hotaru voiced out, seemingly emphasizing the last two words, with a blank look at her face. She was internally grinning, though.

"W-W-W-WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ?! O-OF COURSE NOT ! AHAHAHAHA !" Mikan said with a tense expression.

"You're lying."

"I am not lying !"

"Yes you are."

"Am not !"

"Just tell the truth, dummy." **BAKAN** **!** Hotaru hit her once with a Moron Gun again. However, this time, Mikan didn't rant nor sob about how it hurt. She kept silent.

"I knew it." Hotaru said while she gazed at Mikan, then turned away to face the computer. She was currently doing her new project. It was a bit complicated, so she would have liked it better if no people interrupted her. But, if it's with Mikan, she can make an exception.

Finally, Mikan started speaking up. "You know, Hotaru, at first I really thought that Natsume was a bad guy. He always teases me, make fun of everything I do, and he always calls me names…But, I found out not too long ago that he was really a nice guy…Even though he seems cold and hard-to-approach on the outside, he really has a warm and caring heart on the inside…." After saying that, Mikan started to blush.

"And then ?" Hotaru said, while still looking at the computer and typing a professional-grade coding which Mikan didn't notice.

"….Recently, whenever I see him, my heartbeat goes faster and my face feels hot, even though I don't have a fever…." Mikan said while looking at the ground.

"Hmm…" Hotaru replied as if she wasn't interested.

"And whenever our eyes meet, I turn my gaze to the other side unconsciously….." Mikan continued.

"Eh…"

"When he talks to me, I can't reply properly, not like how I used to…..Just like a while ago at the Central Town…."

"….."

"Hey, are you listening….?"

"I know what that feeling is." Hotaru said, as if she knew what Mikan's question from the beginning was.

"Really ?!" Mikan faced Hotaru with her sparkling eyes and full of expectations. "If I know what this is, then it would be much more easier to clear these thoughts of mine ! Nee, nee, what is it, Hotaru ?"

"Its….**L.O.V.E.**" Hotaru faced Mikan with a slow-motion effect and a big grin creeping up her face.

"L-L-L-Love…..?"

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><p>Author's notes :<p>

Edited : I actually forgot to mention ! TTATT

Mikan and Hotaru is 16 by now, and Natsume and Ruka is 17. Go ahead and imagine them howevr you want~ xD

It's my first time writing, so I'm not quite sure of the quality...

Therefore, I would really love it if you review and tell me if I have anything wrong with the story ! \(OwO)

I have actually planned out the plot already, but I am too tired to write more, so I'll just divide it in chapters ! Probably there would only be 3 chapters in this story. Anyways, stay tuned for the next chapter ~!


	2. Decision

**Chapter 2**

**Conclusion**

* * *

><p>Mikan was now walking outside Hotaru's lab, planning to go back to her room. She was too preoccupied in thinking about those words which Hotaru gave her just a little while ago.<p>

**_Flashback_**

"….." No words could be heard from Mikan, whether it be ranting, blabbing, whining, or any kind of shouting. Instead, she was blushing furiously with her eyes and mouth agape.

"…..A-Are you sure?"

"Yep, I am definitely sure."

"…N-No way….." Mikan didn't have the energy to deny strongly to what Hotaru just said. After all, she knew it herself. She knew that deep in her heart, she loves that bully and cold-blooded Natsume.

"No use in denying it." Hotaru calmly said.

With the sudden burst of undiscovered feelings, Mikan was panicking inside. She felt confusion, curiousness, embarrassment, and many more emotions she couldn't explain. She knows that Hotaru can never be wrong, and there's no reason for Hotaru to lie to her. That's why she's trying to accept this once-in-a-lifetime feeling. But…

_ "__HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FACE HIM LIKE THIS?!_" Mikan shouted internally with her hands holding her head like it was about to explode. Literally.

While Mikan was over-thinking things, Hotaru suddenly suggested a thought which made Mikan blush intensely like never before.

"Now that you know your feelings for him, why don't you try and confess to him ?"

**3**…**2**…**1**…

"HAH ?!" Mikan was much more tense and stuttering like her usual 'shocked' reaction. _"Well, we're talking about Natsume, after all." _Hotaru thought to herself and sighed.

"T-T-There's no way I can ever confess! Never! Ever! Why would I even dare?! I don't want to die yet, you know!" Mikan speaked out while stuttering.

"Hmm…Then, what if the timing and the place was just perfect you couldn't control yourself and blurted it out?" Hotaru said with a look as if she has just planned something mischievous, and only her best friend, Mikan, could decode that look of hers.

"H-Hotaru…..Don't tell me…you're planning something again….?" Mikan asked with a terrified look on her face. She knew that whenever Hotaru plans something, it would become a bit reckless and troublesome. Yet, the plan still succeeds somehow, and Mikan knows not how she does that.

Well, Mikan was right anyway. Hotaru has planned yet another idea, and she did not intend to tell it in any way possible.

"Huh ? What do you mean ? I'm not planning anything. I just said it on a whim." Hotaru said with a perfectly made-up innocent look.

"E-Eh….? But- But…" Mikan muttered.

"Now, I have to do something, so get out of this room now. You're done ranting, aren't you? And also, you forgot your bag at the classroom, didn't you? Now, go and get it!"

"B-But, I haven't asked you what to-" **BAKA! **And, with that Moron Cannon, Mikan was forcefully sent out of the room.

**_End of Flashback_**

"That meanie Hotaru! She didn't have to hit me so many times!" Mikan muttered softly, as to not let anyone hear it.

_"__But still, what was she thinking about? She even had to keep it a secret from me…" _While Mikan was pondering what Hotaru tried to cover up, she hadn't noticed that she already reached her destination, the classroom. She was too much in a hurry that she actually forgot to bring her bag to the laboratory. "Ah, I'm here. Why did I even forget to get my bag? How clumsy of me…." She voiced out then let out a sigh.

"Well, let's get my bag and quickly head to my room!" Said Mikan.

As Mikan turned the doorhandle and pushed the door, she saw a figure— and a familiar one, at that — leaning at the window near the corner of the room. The light was just behind that figure, which made it hard to look at its face.

Yet, she quickly knew who it was when that someone called her name— or, more precisely, the nickname he gave her the first time they met, when they were still children.

"Oi, polka-dotted panties." Natsume voiced out, with his usual deadpan voice and his cold attitude.

"Geh- ! Natsume ?!"

* * *

><p>Author's Notes :<p>

I'm sorry for the late update, minna! Actually, the laptop where I saved this new chapter broke and it had to be reformatted and fixed and etc etc. I had to wait for a laptop wherein I could remake the chapter and alas, it came so late. TTATT

I will make it up to minna by doing the next chapter now! As always, reviews are always welcome~!

Until the next, and probably the last, chapter~ owo


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